Technology has made it easier for venues to sell tickets. It has also made it easier for counterfeiters to create fake tickets to peddle to unsuspecting consumers. One way technology is missing out is by helping consumers avoid being scammed by these counterfeiters.
The only ones benefiting are venues and criminals
Technology has already disrupted the ticket industry. Advancements have made it easier for venues to promote and sell their available lot of tickets. Barcoding and scanning have also made it easy to determine if a ticket is valid at the gate. But, what about those buying tickets online or from scalpers?
Real or fake? Tickets for Porcupine Treat at The Filmore in 2006. Despite having a barcode, consumers are unable to use it to verify their purchase. The technology is only available to the venue. Image courtesy of Flickr.
While technology has made it easier for venues, it has created more of an opportunity for fraud. Counterfeiters are now able to make tickets that look authentic thanks to advancements in printing technology. All the while, little has been done to help protect consumers from counterfeit tickets.
While buying from scalpers can be a risky proposition for the average fan, customers who use secondary market websites like StubHub and Ticket Liquidator are protected by a money-back guarantee. Many legal professionals agree.
"I recommend using sites like Stubhub or Ticket Liquidator," says attorney Robert May from The May Firm. "They back their purchases with a form of insurance which protects buyers from any fraud issues."
Sporting events taking the biggest hit
One of the largest markets for counterfeiting and scalping is NFL tickets. "I hate to give the counterfeiters credit, but they're getting very good," Philadelphia Eagles ticket manager told The New York Times. "If you're buying a ticket on the street, it's very difficult to tell it's a fake. If you're buying on the Internet, it's impossible."
Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, has a seating capacity of close to 70,000. Image courtesy of Flickr.
NFL Football is one of the largest targets for criminals due to the size of the events. The Eagles can host close to 70,000 people per home game. With many NFL games selling out, that gives counterfeiters plenty of room to work.
Other sporting events are not immune to counterfeiting. The 2016 World Series became one of the most sought after tickets in decades thanks to the Chicago Cubs returning to the event after more than half a century.
Making the case to help fans
Fans need help. Due to online marketplaces such as Craigslist, there really is no protection for consumers. It is highly recommended that you use an authorized reseller for tickets, but that does not always happen. In fact, many venues have agreements that allow their tickets to be sold on other sites.
It is highly recommended that you use a reputable source when purchasing tickets. Sites like Ticket Liquidator can help prevent the type of scams you will encounter on sites such as Craigslist.
Venues are able to scan barcodes and verify tickets. If a counterfeit ticket is presented, they can simply turn away the presenter. But, what about the purchaser?
We have apps such as Shazam that can identify a song by listening to a few notes. We have apps that allow you to scan a barcode of a product to find what store is selling it cheaper. So why can't the same technology be used to help consumers?
Some have tried, but there really is not a single technology to help. In addition, scanning only solves part of the problem. Counterfeiters can still duplicate barcodes. Even if counterfeit tickets scan correctly, you could wind up finding someone else in your seats when you get into the stands.
Can open source help the cause?
Venues allowing access to code could be the disrupter we are looking for. In addition to scanning technology, coders could develop a way to bring personalized authentication for each ticket.
As an example, venues could assign a specific code to tickets which can track the sale history of the ticket (similar to what Carfax does with automobiles). People buying tickets can confirm the actual owner and verify their identity at the time of purchase.
Sound crazy? Maybe so. But something needs to be done. Nearly 5 million people are scammed by counterfeit tickets each year.
What are your thoughts?
Authenticating tickets on a consumer level is open for disruption. I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas about how it can be done. Have you ever purchased a counterfeit ticket? Tell me your story below.